Shadow in the dark
by canukepasecret
Summary: Hermione had finally confessed to Draco making a living joke of herself. All alone and vulnerable without Harry or Ron. The only thing keeping her alive is the mysterious stranger in the woods. But doesn't know who it is, or more likely what it is. Buh she swears it seems familiar. Draco realises he likes Hermione too. Will he be able to save her in time or lose her to the darkness
_**Hello lovely readers of fanfiction. Lol. I just sounded like a host of some crappy TV show. Anyway, this is my first story where the genera isn't humour. Yep! I felt like writing a story with depth, sorrow and meaningful. Non like my other stories where people only laugh thinking that the author a.k.a me is crazy. It is a very different story. This plot bunny jumped up my brain when my boyfriend and I had a nasty fight. Don't ask me how or why.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I own nothing. Like literally.**_

 _ **What are you waiting for? Read on.**_

 ** _INFERIOR_**

 ** _Inferior, inferior_**

 ** _Oh, dear inferior,_**

 ** _Why are you always around?_**

 ** _Superior, superior_**

 ** _Oh, dear superior,_**

 ** _Why dont you just surround_**

 ** _\- by me._**

 ** _Lame i know. Please dont kill me. ;)_**

* * *

 **I** n the middle of the night, I sat up quickly in bed. Rubbing my sleepy eyes to clear them, trying to tune my ears to the silence of the night and straining to hear if any other girl in the room was still awake. I was met with nothing but regular sound of breathing and occasional rustle of them moving under their warm quilts. All too familiar with this nightly ritual every night for the past week, since that incident; being startled awake as if it were a nightmare. Well that wouldn't be lie now. It was a nightmare. Only problem was, it happened in real.

I mean seriously. Who in their right mind would walk up to their arch nemesis from first year and say that they liked them? Yes! You guessed it. Me of course. Hermione Jean Granger! The sole female of the so called golden trio, who now happens to be the laughing stalk of the whole school. Who would even have the balls to pull something like that in front of such a large audience? I have no bloody clue what I was thinking. Screw Gryffindor traits. The first time I regretted being courageous. But then again I was under the influence of veritaserum. I had no control what so ever on my word vomit. I just shouldn't have agreed to Pansy Bloody Parkinson. But I am sure I would do it again if I was put in the similar situation again just to shut her nasal voice from abusing my ear drums.

But…

Yes, but...

There is always a but. All the while I had this inside of me, never revealed it to anyone, not Harry, not Ron, no one. But now everyone knew, I could handle that, but even he knew. And the look he gave me after that. The look of disgust! I can never forget that. But then again it wasn't his fault either, truth is if it were other way round, I would have reacted the same way or probably just panicked. I couldn't forget the incident even if I wanted to what with glares I have been receiving from everyone as if I did something worthy of Azkaban. Harry or Ron wouldn't talk to me either.

Feels like first year all over again. All alone, no one to talk to, no friends nothing, just because I felt for someone everyone thought was superior to me. And I am sick of this predicament where everyone thought I was inferior just because my parents had no magic, or even worse in case of Ron, he didn't have a problem with me being a 'mud blood' but he thought I was inferior because I was a girl and a girl couldn't just walk up to someone and confess their feelings. I wonder if he felt the same way about his mother and sister too.

Anyway, I don't think I will get any more sleep today or any other day for all that matters at least until things were a little normal again. I will just go for a walk. Slipping from my bed as silently as the soulless creature I felt inside. It was long past curfew hours. The corridors were deserted. I let my feet take me where ever they wanted, and I found myself in front of the lake, little inside the forbidden forest which Harry and I had discovered while rescuing Sirius. It was a warm and sultry summer night. The sand felt cool beneath my feet and the water in the lake made a gentle rippling sound in the breeze. Not only is the night still and quiet, it is totally and completely dark, just like my life. This made me smile. At least something felt just the way I did. Not a single light to illuminate the sky. The night is black and there seems to be an eerie curtain blocking out all the happiness to seep in.

Looking around into the gloom of a pitch-black night, I felt all alone and vulnerable. Fright winning out in the battle of emotions echoing in the war of my mind. Taking a step into the water a calm comes over me and the desire to stay in the water and enjoy a dip in night overpowers the other thoughts tormenting my overdriven mind.

I looked around to see if there was anyone. Stripping naked felt like I was stripping away all the accusations, glares, betrayal everything and jumped into the water. Where seconds before I felt insecure and wishing for some company, now all is peaceful and the only wish to dwell awhile longer in the peace of this unusual night. Mystical and magical, suddenly I hear a distant voice. The voice was familiar. Yet I couldn't place the voice to a face. It seems like someone was singing. Instead of getting out of water I swam deeper as the mystical voice seemed to calm me down and I dint want the person to know that I was listening as they might stop.

Suddenly the voice stopped. I stayed as still as I could. I was even scared to breathe. I dint know why. And then that voice spoke again. This time it said my name. The way it said my name, it was if it had wrapped and licked my naked body under water.

"Hermione"

I was feeling a whole whirlpool of emotions.

"Don't worry. I am not going to harm you." Said the mystical voice.

An odd realization crept into my mind. Firstly, that voice was familiar. Next, it wasn't spoken out loud, which meant it wear a person, or any living magical being. Lastly, the voice comforted me somehow and making me feel as if I was wrapped in a blanket of absolute safety.

"Who are you?" I asked slowly. While breathing again. I tried to sound just as seductive but I am sure it sounded more like a choking cat.

"I think you already know that I am not going to disclose my identity."

Well that was true. I sighed.

"Then can you at least tell me what are you?"

I heard it laugh. It was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard.

"What do you think?" It said almost amused.

I felt an odd and calming feel to the stillness and total darkness of this unusual night. Feeling mesmerized by this unseen magic and hypnotized by the mystical voice floating upon the night air, I was actually enjoying the security of the darkness engulfing me. Something that I haven't felt in long.

"What were you singing back then?"

"It an old urban song, which helps in calming the nerves."

Then an odd feeling washes over me. I was completely naked and standing alone and vulnerable in dark shadows, talking to something in the forbidden forest, which was home to many foul and dark creatures yet I felt safer than imaginable. Whatever it is, whoever it may be, I somehow know that I am safe and protected not only from it, but by it.

"Where are you?"

"Near you, nearer than you can imagine."

Not only did I hear it but I felt the voice. It was as if the voice was caressing me. That is when I realised that I was half exposed to this strange whatever it is. I slowly ducked a little more inside the water hiding my naked self.

"Why are you hiding yourself? You are beautiful"

And suddenly I was thankful for the darkness. Or it would have seen what a rotten tomato I looked right now.

"Do you come here often?" I asked it, trying to change the subject.

"Maybe" it said. Though this time I felt a little hesitation from it.

"How do you know me?" I asked it yet again trying to change the subject.

"Who doesn't know you?" he asked slightly amused.

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone knows you. You are the best friend of the boy who lived" it said the last part a little irritated. It doesn't seem to be a fan of Harry. Instead of being angry like I usually get, and defend him. I just dint feel like it, and somehow knew that it meant no harm to anyone.

"Not anymore" I said after few peaceful silent minutes.

"What?" it asked confused. As if it were lost in some deep thoughts and I had broken into it.

"I said I'm not his best friend anymore."

Suddenly I heard movements from the place from where the voice was coming.

"I have to leave." It said abruptly. And suddenly all dose long gone feeling of loneliness and vulnerability came back.

"wait." I called out.

It dint answer but I somehow knew it was there.

"Will I ever see you again?"

I knew my voice sounded desperate, but that was what I feeling at the moment. Desperate for this stranger. This was so unlike me, but I couldn't help it.

"May be" was all it said. I dint here anything else but I knew it was long gone.

I have no idea how long it had been, it had left for some time now and small rays of sun seems to be breaking through the darkness of the night. I got out of water, did a quick drying charm and started walking towards the building which had somehow turned into my personal prison for torture. I put on a concealing charm on me so that no one saw me as it is I wasn't anyone's favourite now. I heard footsteps coming towards me as if two persons were whispering to each other. I was about to turn around when I heard my name. I stopped and did a silencing charm on myself and waited.

"You know every girl in this school would drop their panties for me, with just a flick of my finger. Even that mud blood Granger" said the bored voice of non-other than the Slytherin prince Malfoy.

"I couldn't believe that either mate. How did you pull it off anyway? Now she is being even humiliated by even her house mates. For someone who is supposed to be the brightest which of our age she is very daft."

"Yes, that was actually fun to watch her do that. For a change Pansy actually did her work quiet well."

"Brilliant man." Nott said patting Malfoy on the back as if he did something great.

It all seemed a little clear to me now. The whole incident. To think I was in love with this bastard for few years now. Yes I loved him. I realised it soon after the incident. It was too much to take in. I collapsed on the corridor floor. I am sure no would find me due to the charms, but then gain why would anyone search for me now, everyone hated me. Including my friends. Only because I confessed my feelings to the bloke I loved. And the said bloke actually pulled the whole stunt so that he could have a good laugh and gloat about his superiority. No one could hear my cry or shout. No one even cared about it anymore. And that is when I really felt inferior. Inferior to everyone. Even me. I felt all broken. Every piece of me felt equally inferior. I hope that he is very satisfied now. He had finally succeeded in breaking me to the point, where I just dint want to live anymore. And suddenly I knew what to do…

* * *

 _ **I know most of you are confused and have many questions, for example what incident is mione talking about has she gone crazy just like the author? Well the answer is no. I may be crazy but she isn't. You will know everything in due time. It a mystery story for a reason. Duh!**_

 _ **Anyway what did you guys think? Should I continue this? Or should I just continue my humour nonsense as I suck at writing such stories. Please let me know.**_


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